April Culture Guide: 43 Things to Do in the DC Area

Happy April, DC!

There’s a number of family-friendly spring festivals to enjoy this month. Lyricists Lily Allen and Cardi B also have concerts in DC. If you’re craving comedy, comics Robby Hoffman and Nate Bargatze will have you rolling into the aisles with laughter.

10 Best Things to Do in DC

by Pat Padua

Books

Yann Martel

April 2

The Life of Pi author’s latest novel, Son of Nobody, retells the Trojan War through the story of a Greek warrior whose ancient tale is rediscovered by an Oxford scholar, forging a personal connection across millennia.

Museums

“Dear America”

April 11–September 20

Spanning 250 years of the American experience, this exhibit features works inspired by the nation’s landscapes and people, with artists including Dorothea Lange, Roy Lichtenstein, and Fritz Scholder (above).

Books

Aziz Abu Sarah and Maoz Inon

April 16

Sarah, who lost his brother to Israeli forces, and Inon, who lost both parents to Hamas militants, forged an unlikely alliance and now run a nonprofit dedicated to resolving conflict in the Middle East. In their new book, The Future Is Peace, they propose a path forward.

Music

Danish String Quartet and Danish National Girls’ Choir

April 18

Fifty voices join in otherworldly harmony for a program featuring works by Caroline Shaw and Franz Schubert, traditional Nordic songs, and a newly commissioned piece by Bang on a Can founder David Lang.

Museums

“Of the Hills: Pahari Paintings From India’s Himalayan Kingdoms”

April 18–July 26

Rare works made for Hindu kings in India’s Pahari region between the 17th and 19th centuries are featured in this exhibit, including a vivid watercolor that depicts a family viewing a solar eclipse.

The English singer-songwriter performs tunes from her acclaimed latest album, West End Girl, a sophisticated soul-pop cycle charting her tempestuous relationship with Stranger Things actor David Harbour.

Music

Jean-Yves Thibaudet

April 23

The prolific French pianist, known for his sensitive technique and flashy visual style (with concert wear designed by Dame Vivienne Westwood), performs Claude Debussy’s complete Preludes.

Dance

“An Asian American Dance Journey”

April 24

DC’s Dana Tai Soon Burgess Dance Company, led by the Smithsonian’s first choreographer-in-residence, presents a program exploring the Asian American experience, including a new work honoring Japanese American artist Ruth Asawa.

Comedy

Robby Hoffman

April 25

The provocative comic, once dubbed a “lesbian Andrew Dice Clay,” is having a breakout year, with a recent Netflix special and an HBO series in the works.

Books

Miguel Ángel Hernández

April 26

In his true-crime ghost story, The Pain of Others, the Spanish novelist revisits the 1995 Christmas Eve tragedy in which his best friend murdered his own sister before taking his life.

More Things to Do in April

by Briana Thomas

Arts and culture:

• Spot magnolia flowers, roses, orchids, and more flowers representing each state as part of the America 250 showcase at US Botanic Garden (April 10-October 12, free, Southwest DC).
• Browse a selection of handcrafted ceramics, furniture, glass, metal, leather, basketry, and more at the Smithsonian Craft Show (April 22-26, preview night $300+, $25+ for craft show days, Penn Quarter).
• Immerse yourself in French culture with shopping and Parisian cuisine at the open-air Georgetown French Market (April 24-26, free, Georgetown).
• Watch international movies, documentaries, and shorts at Filmfest DC (April 16-26, prices TBA, various locations).
• The new “¡Puro Ritmo! The Musical Journey of Salsa” exhibit shares the history of Afro-Cuban music in America (opens April 18, free, Smithsonian National Museum of the American Latino).

Community and heritage:

• Stroll through the blossoming White House gardens this spring (April 18-19, free with timed-entry tickets available outside of the White House Visitor Center, White House).
• Celebrate Holi with family and friends at this outdoor dance party at Merriweather Park at Symphony Woods (April 19, free, Columbia).
• Attend the DC Emancipation Day parade at Franklin Park (April 19, free, Downtown).
• Learn about the environment at a neighborhood talk during DC Climate Week (April 20-26, free, various participating locations).

Theater:

• Don’t miss the DC premiere of The Minutes—a mysterious satire about truth-telling—at Keegan Theatre (April 4-May 3, $55, Dupont Circle).
• Imaginative Broadway musical The Wiz returns to National Theatre (April 7-12, $59+, National Theatre).
• At Shakespeare Theatre Company, 44: The Musical jokes and sings through a reflection on Obama’s presidency (April 18-May 10, $44+, Downtown).
• Broadway’s comedic musical The Book of Mormon arrives at National Theatre (April 28-May 3, $89+, Downtown).

Shows and performances:

• Chuckle at Nate Bargatze’s clean humor (April 2-3, $48+, Capital One Arena).
• Pod Save America co-host Jon Lovett cracks jokes about US politics at Lincoln Theatre (April 23, $45+, U Street Corridor).

Music:

• Rapper Cardi B makes a Little Miss Drama Tour stop at Capital One Arena (April 8, $148+, Capital One Arena).
• DC vocalist Rum.gold brings his soothing sound to the Atlantis (April 9, $32.50, Shaw).
• Local bands Pretty Bitter, Spring Silver, Will Kobus, Colo and others battle it out at the Mosh Madness basketball tournament (April 11, pay-what-you-can+, Takoma Park).
• Rock out to metalcore music for a good cause at DC9 Nightclub (April 11, $19+, Shaw).
• Rap star Da Baby will have audiences rhyming along to his high-energy beats (April 12, $40+, Silver Spring).
• Paramore’s lead singer Hayley Williams takes the stage solo in promotion of her third project, Ego Death at a Bachelorette Party (April 15, sold out but prices vary for third-party tickets, Silver Spring).
• David Michael Wyatt croons R&B covers at Howard Theatre (April 16, $49+, Shaw).
• Techno DJ Juliana Huxtable headlines the charged-up dance party Ethernet at Transmission (April 17, 19+, H Street Corridor).
• Tech-house DJ Chris Lake headlines Glow Block Party (April 18, $100+, Downtown).
• Synth-pop and electronic tunes take over this underground music fest at Berhta (April 25, $47+, Northeast DC).

Spring festivals:

• View art installations, take in a dazzling fireworks show, and listen to live music along the banks of the Anacostia River at Petalpalooza (April 4, free, Capitol Riverfront).
• The spring event we’ve been waiting for arrives in April with balloons, floats, and marching bands. The National Cherry Blossom Festival Parade will strut down Constitution Avenue (April 11, $28+ for seating, Downtown).
• Keep the cherry blossom entertainment going at the two-day Sakura Matsuri–Japanese Street Festival (April 11-12, $20, Downtown).
• General admission tickets grant access to unlimited samples from over 80 breweries as well as live music, a dueling piano bar, and a food truck alley at DC Beer Fest (April 11, $66, Nationals Park).
• Sip more than 100 wines at Uncorked DC (April 25, $89+, Nationals Park).
• Chocolate lovers can savor samples, learn to make chocolate at guided workshops, and join foodie talks with chocolatiers at the DC Chocolate Festival (April 24-25, $25+, free for ages under 10, Northwest DC).
• Cheers to the spring edition of DC Wine Fest (April 25, $44+, Union Market).

Things to do with kids:

• Springfest in Old Ellicott City returns for family entertainment, crafts, and live music (April 18, free, Ellicott City).

Part of this article appears in the April 2026 issue of Washingtonian.